The Four Noble Truths (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

The First Noble Truth: The Existence of Suffering

What are the Four Noble Truths?

• The Four Noble Truths were discovered by the Buddha while he was meditating during The Three Watches at his Enlightenment

• These were the first teachings he gave to The five ascetics, his first followers

The Four Noble Truths

• The Four Noble Truths aim to explain why people suffer and how they can end suffering

The Analogy of Illness

• The Four Noble Truths are sometimes compared to illness and finding a cure:

  • The Buddha is the doctor

  • The doctor establishes that you have an illness (the first noble truth)

  • He finds the cause of the illness (the second noble truth)

  • He tells you there’s a cure for the illness (the third noble truth)

  • He prescribes the cure and you undergo treatment to get better (the fourth noble truth)

• Buddhists try to understand these truths as fully as possible by:

  • Studying

  • Reflecting on the teachings

  • Meditation

  • Following the Eightfold Path

The First Noble Truth: The Existence of Suffering

• Buddha taught that suffering (Dukkha) exists and that everyone experiences it during their lives

• This is one of The three marks of existence

• There are seven types of suffering:

  • Four types of physical suffering

  • Three types of mental suffering

The Seven States of Suffering

• These are known as the seven states of suffering

• People will have to experience these many times over a number of lives as part of the cycle of Samsara

Suffering & Happiness

• Buddha also taught that happiness exists

• Just as there are many types of suffering, so too are there many types of happiness

• But although happiness is real, it is impermanent and so it is not an ultimate solution to overcome suffering

• Many people try to combat suffering with temporary pleasures:

  • For example, if you feel upset after an argument with a friend, you may eat a chocolate bar. But the happiness from eating the chocolate only lasts for the length of time it takes to eat it

• Temporary pleasures do not solve the root cause of unhappiness

• Buddha instead taught his followers that the best way of dealing with suffering is to accept that suffering is an unavoidable part of life:

  • He said that the key to reducing suffering is not to personalise it

  • In other words, don’t ask, “Why am I suffering?”

  • Instead, accept it

The Second Noble Truth: The Causes of Suffering

The Concept of Tanha

• The second Noble Truth, Samudaya, explains why people suffer

• Buddha taught that one of the main causes of dukkha (suffering) is tanha, which means craving

• Tanha refers to wanting or desiring things

• There are three main types of craving, according to the Buddha’s teaching:

The Types of Tanha (Craving)

• People suffer because they get attached to things they like

• But these things are impermanent, so will disappear, causing suffering

The Three Poisons

• Buddhism teaches that people are driven by the three poisons

• These are the forces that deepen people’s desire for craving and mean that they get trapped in the cycle of Samsara and cannot reach Nibbana

• The three poisons are:

  • Greed

  • Hatred

  • Ignorance

• The Three Poisons are depicted in the centre of The Tibetan Wheel of Life:

  • This shows that they are the forces that keep the wheel of life (the cycle of rebirth) turning

• Each poison is represented by an animal in the image

The Tibetan Wheel of Life shows the Three Poisons depicted by animals

The Third Noble Truth: The End of Suffering

Overcoming Craving & Ignorance

• The third Noble Truth, nirodha, is that there is an end to suffering

• A person can end their own suffering through their own action and efforts

• When people crave things and get attached to things that are impermanent, they will become frustrated

• Thinking that impermanent things are the source of complete fulfilment is a sign of ignorance

• However, it is possible to end suffering: people must let go of their cravings for temporary pleasures:

  • This doesn’t mean avoiding things they enjoy

  • It does mean people should enjoy good things but recognise that they can’t last, and therefore avoid becoming too attached to them

• This can lead to enlightenment and ultimately to nibbana

• Buddha achieved this, so Buddhists believe that they can achieve it too:

  • This teaching is important to Buddhists, because it shows them that it is possible to achieve happiness and it is possible to overcome suffering:

The Connection Between Nirodha & Nibbana

• Nibbana literally means “extinction” or to snuff out a flame

• When Buddhists use the phrase nibbana, they are referring to the extinction of the Three Poisons: greed, hatred and ignorance

• Buddha said that after his enlightenment, he was free of these Three Poisons

• Nibbana also means a state of complete enlightenment, peace and happiness:

  • This comes from being free of the Three Poisons

• An enlightened person will be aware of what causes suffering and will have the knowledge of how to end suffering:

  • This is what the fourth Noble Truth teaches Buddhists

A person who reaches nibbana

The Fourth Noble Truth: The Cure for Suffering

The Eightfold Path & The Threefold Way

• The fourth Noble Truth, magga, is the cure for suffering

• This is the middle path that the Buddha said people must follow to avoid the extremes of asceticism and luxury

• It is called The Eightfold Path:

  • It is often grouped into three different sections known as The Threefold Way: ethics (sila), meditation (samadhi) and wisdom (panna)

  • Buddhists must follow these eight different aspects to overcome suffering and achieve enlightenment

  • All of the aspects are interlinked and support each other. Buddhists should develop them all at the same time

The Eightfold Path is a range of eight practices, grouped into three categories (the Threefold Way). Buddhists can develop all of these good practices at the same time. They all support and reinforce each other

How to Follow the Eightfold Path